Running-board for cars.



A. C. MURPHY.

RUNNING BOARD POR CARS.

APPLICATION funn :um: 27, 1911.

1,050,377. 1 Patented .1811111913 .6 -lllg COLUIIIA YLAMOOIAPII CO.. VIAlIIImIUN. D- C.

Ill'

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT-C. MURPHY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. ASSIGNOR T MURPHY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RUNNING-BOARD FOR CARS.

To Il whoml it may conce/'a Be it known that I, Animar C. Menem. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York. county of New- York. State of New York. have invented an Improvement in Running-Boards for Cars. of which the following 1s a specitication.

My invention has reference to improvements in running boards for cars. and consists in certain improvements which are set fort-h in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings which form a mrt theleo The o ject of my invention is to provide a running board structure for ears in which the boards are to be supported upon metallic saddles secured at intervals along the ridge of the car roof, the .said saddles heino' formed of sheet metal, whereby a durable construction is insured at a minimum cost.

Mv invention consists of a running boardl saddle formed of sheet metal bent. into inverted trough shape with oppositely directed inclined supporting edges preferably provided with flanges and the top or closed portion furnished with means or attachment to the running boards of a car roof.

My invention also consists of a comhination of a plurality of saddles of pressed sheet metal shaped to titv upon the ridge of the car roof. with u plurality of runningr boards each secured to the respective saddles, and means for securing the saddles to the car roof.

My invent-ion also comprebends details of construction which. together with the features above s iecified, will be better understood by reference to the drawings. in which:

Figure t is a cross section of the upper part of a ear having an inside metal root' having my improvements applied thereto: Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the same on line :1t-m; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of my improved saddles employed in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2: Fig. 4 is a cross seetion of the upper portion of the car body having an outside metallic roof and with my improvements applied thereto: Fig. is a longltudlnal section of a portion of the same on line y--y of Fig. 4; and Fig.'6

Speotcatton of Letters Patent.

Application tiled June 27, 1911.

Patented Jun. 14, |913.

Serial No. 635.588.

is a erspective view of the saddle employed in tie application of my invention to the outside metallic roof construction.

2 is the roof of the car and may be ot' the inside metal construct-ion shown in Fig. 1 or the outside metal construction shown in Fig. 4. In the inside metal construction El is the metal covering of the inner boards and 4 is the outer covering. In the case of the outer metal roof there are no outer boards and 3 represents the metal which is united at intervals hy suitable. seams. These roofs of the cars may be of any suitable construction. Arranged over the ridge of the roof are a series of metallic saddlesl 5, the said saddles being secured to the root by the bolts 6. Sup orted upon the saddles and extending lengt iwise, of the. car arc the ruiming board strips 7. the same being bolted to the saddles.

Mere specifically considering the construction of the saddle shown in F1 fs. l, 2 and Il. the same is made of pressed s lect metal in the form of an inverted trough formed hv the sides 11. top and the end flaps t4. The lower edges of the sides 11 are inclined and flanged as at 12, the inclination heilig upward toward the middle at 13. The inclination of these flanged edges 12 corresponds to the inclination ot the top of the roof of the cur. Rivcted or otherwise secured to the top yl0 of the saddles are thc plates l5 which are extended laterally beyond the saddle on each side. thereof and form flanges Si. said flanges being provided with bolt holes. I prefer to employ three ol these plates to support three running hoard strips 7, as indicated in Fig. 1. l furthermore prefer thatthe flanges shall be inclined ohliquely downward so as to normally project awav from the boards which rest. upon the sad( le. By reason of this downward projection. which is clearly indicated in Fig. 2, the bolts 8 which are passed through the flanges and the running boards 7 are put. under tension, and consequently, when the ends are screwed u i, the hoard is held with a spring action tig itly upon the top of the saddle. and moreover, the nuts are held against turning and becoming loose. owing to the elasticity of the flanges. It desired. the nuts may be screwed tightly enough to brin the flanges 8 against the boards, but this 1s not essential. The bolt 6 which 'is ernploved to hold the saddle upon the ridge ot the roof extends tightly through the iniddlc portion of the saddle and through the root' structure. As shown, a central hole lo is made through the metal plate l5 and top 10 of the saddle and the bolt is passed through this hole so that when the saddle is clamped to the roof it is centrally positioned and held against any lateral displacement. The fact that the saddle is bolted to the running boards and is also arch shaped to fit over the ridge of the roof will prevent any possible displacement by rotation about the center retaining bolt t. The tlaps li at the ends act to keep out the rain, snow and dustand thereby prevent united cause for rusting or wearing out of the saddle at those places wlieie it cannotl be easily reached for paint. ing.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4. 5 and (t there is no difference from that shown in the other figures except that the central portion of the saddle is notched as at 13 so as to fit over the metal scam Il" of the roof which projects at the i'idge thereof, and in the single other respect that the flaps 14 are of less depth so as to provide the space i4 through which the upwardly projecting seam or cori-ligation 3 of the, roof may extend, all of which will be clearly understood. from the drawings.

While my` invention is especially designed for being made from flat sheet metal such as sheet steel, I do not restrict myself thereto nor to the particular manner of forming the inverted trough shaped structure constituting the saddle, as the sinne may be formed in some other manner, my invention residing in the employment of the metallic `saddle as a foundation for the running boards and a machine for iroperly positioning the saine upon the roog ot' a box car. Likewise while I prefer the spring flanges .i in connection with thc bolts 8 as a particiihir means for uniting the running boards to the saddles. l do not restrict myself thereto. as said boards may be fastened in place in other suitable manner than that shown. lhe particular construction shown is notonly advantageous in maintaining a tight union which will withstand all jarring due to the travel of the car, but it also provides excellent means for supporting two abutting runnin" boards in cases where the length of the wi e strips are not siiicient to extend throughout. the entire length of the car.

Having now described my invention, what l claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. As un article of manufacture, a metallic saddle for runningboards of ears consistin 0f an inverted trough-shaped structure ormed of sheet metal with a straight flat top and downwardly extending sides terminating at the bottom with inclined tlanged lower edges, said tlanges being inclined upward toward the center and in which the metal of the top is extended and lient. do\\nwnrd to close the space at the ends ot' the saddle t'or a part ot` the way down only and said saddle also provided with flanges at its top t'or providing connection with the ruiming boards.

2. ln a running board structure for cars:4 the combination of the roof of thel car, a series ot metallic. saddles fitting the crown ol' the roof and each composed ot' sheet metal pressed into inverted trough shaped forni closed at the top nml open lietwecii the sides throughout its length, a plurality ot' running boards extending over and restingr upon the saddles` means for connecting the run ning boards with the saddles, consisting oi separate flat plates riveted to the top of the saddles and forming lateral flanges on the sides thereof and bolt.`- extending through the flanges and tlic running boards` and incans for connectingr the saddles with the root'l of tlic cui'.

3. ln a runningr board structure for cars. the combination ot' the roof of the car, a series ot' metallic saddles fitting thc crown of the roof and ca ch composed of shcct metal pressed into inverted trough shaped forni closed at the top` a plurality of running boards extending over and resting upon the saddles. means for connecting,r thc iunning boards with the saddles consisting of' a plurality ol plates riveted to the top oi the saddles and forming downwardly incliucd flanges land bolts for drawing the flanges upwardly to the ruiming boards and thereby utilizing the spring action of thc flanges to hold the. boards tightly to the saddles and prevent the nuts ot the bolts working loose` and means for connecting the saddles with the roof of the car.

Al. ln a ruiming board structure for cars. the. combination of the roof of the car, with a series of metallic saddles fitting the crown ot' the roof and each composed of sheet metal pressed into inverted trough shaped forin closed at the top and open at the liottoiii` a plurality of running boards ex tending over and resting upon the saddles, means for connecting the running,r boards with thc saddles said means comprising cross plates riveted to the closed top of the saddle to providel oveilianging yielding flanges whose ends are directed downward and providing swing action for taking up lost nioti'on` bots extending through the flanges and iuiiniiig boards, and means for connecting the saddles with the roof of the car consisting of a bolt extending entirely through the saddle and the top of the car st ructure for holding the. saddle to the ridge of the cai' roof.

A saddle for a running board of a car consisting Vof a sheet metal saddle made in i of sheet metal with a strai ht top the forni of an inverted trou' h having closed top sides and ends and tliavng its lower lateral edges inclined upwardly toward each other at the middle of the saddle and havin(lr )lates secured to the closed top of the saddle and projecting laterally to form flanges provided with apertures, and also having a centrally arranged hole through the top of the saddle and one of the plates.

6. A saddle for a running board of a ear consisting of a sheet metal saddle made in the form of an inverted trough having closed top sides and ends and having its lower lateral edges inclined upwardly toward each other at the middle of the saddle and having lates secured to the closed top of the sadde and projecting laterally to form downwardly inclined flanges provided with apertures. and also having a centrally arranged hole through the top of the saddle and one of the plates. l

T. A running board saddle consisting of l nii inverted trough shaped structure formed and in- 1 clined flanged lower free e ges said flanges l bein inclined upward toward the center,| eomiined with attaching means extending bevond the top portion of the saddle on both sides said means consisting of plates secured to the top of the saddle and iroviding `free oppositellv directed spring anges having their outer edges at a lower plane than the top of the saddle-` said flanges adapted to I receive bolts b v which the running boards may be drawn tightly down to the top of the saddle under spring action.

8. A saddle for a running board consisting of an inverted trough structure composed of pressed sheet metal` havin its sides and top of one continuous piece o bent sheet metal and its top closed and bottom open und its ends closed b v extensions of said sheet metal at the. top bent. over and downward at the ends, yand the bottom edges of the sides being inclined upwardly toward the middle.

9. A saddle for a running board consisting of an inverted trough structure coinposed of pressed sheet metal, having its sides and top of one continuous piece of sheet metal and its top closed and bottom open and its ends closed by extensions of' said sheet metal at the top benty over and downward at the ends, and the bottom edges of the sides being inclined upwardly toward the middle and notched at the bottom of the sides at the middle portion.

10. A saddle for a running board consisting of an inverted trough structure coinposed of pressed sheet metal, having its sides and top of one continuous piece of bent sheet. metal and its top closed and bottoni open and the ends closed by extensions of said sheet metal bent over the ends, and the bottom edges of the sides beinv inclined upwardly toward the middle an( also provided with laterall)r extending flange portions projecting from opposite sides of the saddle adjacent to its top closed portion.

1l. The combination with the car roof` of a plurality of metallic saddles having horizontal top portions and oppositely inclined lower portions which latter fit over the ridge of the cai' roof and correspond to the inclinations thereof at each side of the. ridge. running boards resting upon thc horizontal port-ions of the saddles` and means for firmly securing the running boards to the saddles consisting of spring flanges extending from the saddles and bolts extending through the spring flanges and running boards.

In testimony of which invention. I hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT l. MURPHY.

lVitnesscs:

JoiiN il. Cami, lVM. i". Mavim..

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, n e." 

